Snow removal equipment

Abstract

To provide a snow removal device that can prevent actuator failure during snow removal operations. [Solution] The snow removal device 3 includes a swing arm 5 that swings around a swing axis 53 extending in the vehicle width direction and located between the drive end and the driven end, between a retracted position P1 in which the drive end 51 is lowered and the driven end 52 is raised and a working position P2 in which the drive end is raised and the driven end is lowered; an actuator 6 that moves the drive end up and down; a flanger 7 attached to the driven end; an adjuster 8 supported by the swing arm at a position on the drive end side of the swing axis; and a stopper 10 supported by a support body, located relative to the adjuster in the direction from the retracted position toward the working position in the circumferential direction around the swing axis, and having a receiving surface 86 that contacts the adjuster. The adjuster is capable of changing the position of the part that contacts the receiving surface relative to the swing arm in the circumferential direction around the swing axis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a snow removal device.

Background Art

[0002] Some snow removal devices attached to rail vehicles include a flange for scooping up and removing snow between the rails.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a rail snow removal vehicle equipped with an auxiliary flange that can move up and down. This auxiliary flange is suspended rotatably by a shaft. Then, by extending the rod of the hydraulic cylinder, the auxiliary flange assumes a posture for performing snow removal work facing the vertical direction. Also, by contracting the rod of the hydraulic cylinder, the auxiliary flange assumes a posture facing the horizontal direction. Thereby, contact with the track facilities can be prevented.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, in order to prevent interference with the facilities provided between the tracks, it is necessary to adjust the height position of the lower end of the flange during snow removal work according to the height of the facilities provided between the tracks. However, the rail snow removal vehicle described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the posture of the auxiliary flange during snow removal is set to a predetermined posture facing the vertical direction, and the height position of the auxiliary flange cannot be adjusted or the adjustment range is small.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, a snow removal device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a snow removal device attached to a rail vehicle, comprising: a support body supported by the rail vehicle; a swing arm supported by the support body, having a drive end and a driven end, which swings about a swing axis extending in the vehicle width direction located between the drive end and the driven end, between a retracted position in which the drive end is lowered and the driven end is raised and a working position in which the drive end is raised and the driven end is lowered; and an actuator for raising and lowering the drive end. The device comprises a flange attached to the driven end, an adjuster supported on the rocking arm at a position closer to the drive end than the rocking axis, and a stopper supported by the support body, positioned relative to the adjuster in the direction from the retracted position toward the working position in the circumferential direction around the rocking axis, and having a receiving surface that contacts the adjuster, wherein the adjuster is capable of changing the position of the portion that contacts the receiving surface relative to the rocking arm in the circumferential direction around the rocking axis.

[0007] This configuration allows for a wider range of adjustment in the height position of the flange during snow removal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] This disclosure has the effect of increasing the range of adjustment for the height position of the flange during snow removal. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a snow removal vehicle equipped with a snow removal device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of a snow removal vehicle. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the flange lifting drive mechanism of the snow removal device, with the swinging arm and flange in the retracted position. [Figure 4] This figure shows the oscillating arm and flange of the flange lifting drive device in the working position. [Figure 5]Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the drive end portion of the swing arm of the flanger lifting drive device. [Figure 6] This figure shows the state in which the adjuster of the flange lifting drive device in Figure 3 has been changed to position the swing arm and flange at the working position. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the adjuster in the flange lifting drive device. [Figure 8] This is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the flange lifting drive device for a snow removal vehicle according to Embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, throughout the following drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Figure 1 is a side view showing an example configuration of a snow removal vehicle 100 equipped with a snow removal device according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is a front view showing an example configuration of the snow removal vehicle 100. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the snow removal vehicle 100 is a track snow removal vehicle used to remove snow accumulated on the track 101. The track 101 may also mean a railway track and includes a roadbed 103 and a pair of rails 102. Hereinafter, the space on the roadbed 103 formed between a pair of rails 102 in the vehicle width direction may be referred to as the space between tracks. The snow removal vehicle 100 is, for example, a track motor car and includes a powered track vehicle 1. The track vehicle 1 is a vehicle that runs on the track 101 and includes a driver's cab and an engine room. The driver's cab of the track vehicle 1 is provided with a driver's seat where the driver sits and a control panel which the driver, seated in the driver's seat, operates for driving during snow removal work.

[0012] In this embodiment, the snow removal vehicle 100 is equipped with two types of snow removal devices: a rotary snow removal device 3 located on one side of the vehicle's longitudinal direction and a plow snow removal device 2 located on the other side. However, the snow removal vehicle 100 may, for example, be equipped with only the rotary snow removal device 3. For the sake of explanation, the direction from the track vehicle 1 toward the rotary snow removal device 3 is referred to as the front, and the opposite direction, that is, the direction from the rotary snow removal device 3 toward the track vehicle 1, is referred to as the rear.

[0013] The rotary snow removal device 3 is located in the overhang portion in front of the track vehicle 1. The rotary snow removal device 3 comprises an auger 15, a blower 17, and a snow throwing cylinder 18. The auger 15, blower 17, and snow throwing cylinder 18 are supported by a support 4 of the rotary snow removal device 3. The support 4 has a frame structure, is supported by the track vehicle 1, and extends forward.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the auger 15 is a spiral rotating blade that performs the function of scooping up and collecting snow. The auger 15 is rotatably supported by the support 4 with its rotation axis extending in the vehicle width direction into the snow collection opening 20 that opens forward, and rotates by rotational power transmitted from the prime mover. The rotational trajectory of the auger 15 is a horizontally lying cylindrical shape. A predetermined clearance is provided between the lower end of the rotational trajectory of the auger 15 and the rail 102 to prevent the auger 15 from interfering with the rail 102. As shown in Figure 1, the snow scooped up by the auger 15 is blown away by the blower 17 located behind the auger 15 and discharged to the side away from the snow removal vehicle 100 through the snow throwing pipe 18. Although Figures 1 and 2 show the snow throwing pipe 18 facing forward, the direction of the snow throwing pipe 18 can be changed, and it is usually directed to the side during snow removal work.

[0015] In addition, the rotary snow removal device 3 includes a pair of guide plates 19 positioned in front of the snow collection port 20. The pair of guide plates 19 are positioned facing both sides of the snow collection port 20 in the vehicle width direction. The base end portion of each guide plate 19 is supported by the support body 4 and swings around a swing axis extending in the vertical direction. Each guide plate 19 is driven by an actuator and held in an arbitrary posture. By advancing the snow removal vehicle 100 with the tip of the guide plate 19 positioned outside the vehicle width direction of the rail vehicle 1, the snow accumulated on the side of the track 101 is guided toward the snow collection port 20, and the snow accumulated outside the vehicle width direction of the rail vehicle 1 can be removed.

[0016] Furthermore, the rotary snow removal device 3 includes a flange 7 which is a device for removing the snow accumulated between the tracks. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flange 7 is positioned between the tracks in the vehicle width direction, and a predetermined clearance is provided between the side edge of the flange 7 and the rail 102 to prevent interference. The flange 7 is a plate whose tip portion is positioned below the auger 15. The flange 7 is held in a posture in which, when viewed from the vehicle width direction during the snow removal operation, the direction from the base end portion toward the tip portion is downward and obliquely forward below the auger 15. Then, by advancing the snow removal vehicle 100, the snow accumulated between the tracks is scooped up by the flange 7. The snow scooped up by the flange 7 is scraped and collected by the auger 15.

[0017] By the way, there are places where equipment 104 is provided between the tracks, such as the ground unit of the automatic train stop device, the paving plate between the tracks of the level crossing, and the point. In places where such equipment 104 that may interfere with the flange 7 is provided, the flange 7 is temporarily raised to prevent interference of the flange 7 with the equipment 104. The rotary snow removal device 3 includes a flange lifting drive device 11 which is a mechanism for raising and lowering the flange 7.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a side view showing a configuration example of the plunger lifting and driving device 11, and is a view showing a state in which the swing arm 5 and the plunger 7 are positioned at the retracted position P1. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a configuration example of the plunger lifting and driving device 11, and is a view showing a state in which the swing arm 5 and the plunger 7 are positioned at the working position P2.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plunger lifting and driving device 11 includes a swing arm 5, an actuator 6, a stopper 10, an adjuster 8, and a locking portion 9.

[0020] The swing arm 5 is supported by the support body 4 and swings around the swing axis 53. Note that the support body 4 is not shown in Figure 3 and subsequent figures. The swing arm 5 extends generally in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the swing arm 5 is the drive end 51 and the front end is the driven end 52. The base end of the flanger 7 is detachably attached to the driven end 52 by fasteners. This makes it easy to replace the flanger 7. The tip of the flanger 7 protrudes forward from the driven end 52 of the swing arm 5. The swing axis 53 is located between the drive end 51 and the driven end 52 and extends in the vehicle width direction. The swing arm 5 swings between a retracted position P1, which extends approximately horizontally as shown in Figure 3, and a working position P2, which extends diagonally downward toward the front, as shown in Figure 4, by the swing axis 53. At the retracted position P1 and the working position P2, the angle between the direction in which the swing arm 5 extends and the horizontal plane is 60 degrees or less, more preferably 45 degrees or less. This effectively increases the vertical movement distance of the driven end 52 with respect to the swing angle of the swing arm 5. Since the swing axis 53 is located between the drive end 51 and the driven end 52, the direction of movement of the drive end 51 and the direction of movement of the driven end 52 in the vertical direction are opposite. That is, when the drive end 51 descends, the driven end 52 rises, and when the drive end 51 rises, the driven end 52 descends. As shown in Figure 3, when the drive end 51 is lowered and the swing arm 5 is located at the retracted position P1, the gap between the flanger 7 and the track bed 103 widens. This prevents the flanger 7 from interfering with the equipment 104. The swing arm 5 and flanger 7 located at the retracted position P1 are positioned to fit within the vehicle clearance. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, when the drive end 51 is raised and the swing arm 5 is in the working position P2, the tip of the flanger 7 approaches the track bed 103 beyond the vehicle clearance. This allows snow removal work to be performed.

[0021] A bulkhead 16 is provided behind the auger 15. That is, the bulkhead 16 is located between the auger 15 and the track vehicle 1. More specifically, the bulkhead 16 is located between the auger 15 and the blower 17. The bulkhead 16 is a plate supported by the support 4. The bulkhead 16 extends in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis of the auger 15 so as to partially surround the rear side of the auger 15's rotation trajectory. In this way, the bulkhead 16 can block snow flying backward. The pivot axis 53 of the swing arm 5 is located adjacent to the lower side of the lower end of the bulkhead 16. Also, the pivot axis 53 of the swing arm 5 is located in the gap between the flanger 7 and the bulkhead 16 in the front-rear direction. In this way, it is possible to prevent snow scooped up by the flanger 7 from passing through the gap between the flanger 7 and the bulkhead 16.

[0022] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the portion of the swing arm 5 on the drive end 51 side. As shown in Figure 5, the swing arm 5 is provided with an arm-side pivot shaft insertion hole 55 and an arm-side insertion hole 54. The arm-side pivot shaft insertion hole 55 is a hole through which the pivot shaft 82, described later, is inserted, and extends parallel to the swing shaft 53. The arm-side pivot shaft insertion hole 55 is located on the drive end 51 side of the swing shaft 53 in the direction in which the swing arm 5 extends. The arm-side insertion hole 54 is a hole through which the locking portion 9, described later, is inserted, and extends parallel to the swing shaft 53. The arm-side insertion hole 54 is located between the drive end 51 and the swing shaft 53 in the direction in which the swing arm 5 extends. The swing arm 5 has a projection 56 that protrudes upward between the drive end 51 and the swing shaft 53. The arm-side insertion hole 54 is located on this projection 56.

[0023] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the actuator 6 is an actuator that moves the drive end 51 up and down, and has a cylinder 61 and a piston rod 62. The actuator 6 is, for example, an air cylinder. The cylinder 61 extends generally in the vertical direction, with the upper end closed and the lower end open. The upper end of the cylinder 61 is pin-connected to a bracket attached to the bulkhead 16 by a support-side locking pin 63, and is pivotable around a pivot axis extending in the vehicle width direction. The piston rod 62 has a piston located inside the cylinder 61 and a rod extending downward from the piston. The rod of the piston rod 62 extends downward from the lower end of the cylinder 61 through an opening at the lower end of the cylinder 61. The tip, i.e., the lower end, of the piston rod 62 is pin-connected to the drive end 51 of the swing arm 5 by an arm-side locking pin 64, and is pivotable around a pivot axis extending in the vehicle width direction. Then, as the piston rod 62 of actuator 6 is pushed out, the drive end 51 descends, the swing arm 5 swings from the working position P2 towards the retracted position P1, and the flanger 7 rises towards the retracted position P1. Also, as the piston rod 62 of actuator 6 is retracted, the drive end 51 rises, the swing arm 5 swings from the retracted position P1 towards the working position P2, and the flanger 7 descends towards the working position P2. As the posture of the swing arm 5 changes, the arm-side locking pin 64 moves in the front-rear direction relative to the support-side locking pin 63, causing actuator 6 to swing around the support-side locking pin 63.

[0024] The stopper 10 functions to restrict the swing of the swing arm 5 from the retracted position P1 to the working position P2. The stopper 10 is fixed to a bracket fixed to the bulkhead 16 and supported by the support body 4. The stopper 10 has a receiving surface 86 that contacts the circumferential surface 81 of the adjuster 8. The receiving surface 86 is a surface that extends in the vehicle width direction and faces downward. The receiving surface 86 is located above the adjuster 8. That is, the receiving surface 86 is located relative to the adjuster 8 in the direction from the retracted position P1 to the working position P2 in the circumferential direction centered on the swing axis 53.

[0025] The adjuster 8 functions to adjust the working position P2 of the swing arm 5 and flanger 7. The adjuster 8 is a plate, and its circumferential surface 81, which extends in the direction of the plate thickness, faces in the direction of the vehicle width. That is, the circumferential surface 81 of the adjuster 8 and the receiving surface 86 of the stopper 10 extend parallel to each other. The adjuster 8 is located on the side of the swing arm 5. As shown in Figure 5, the adjuster 8 has an adjuster-side pivot shaft insertion hole 34 and is supported by a pivot shaft 82 inserted through the arm-side pivot shaft insertion hole 55 and the adjuster-side pivot shaft insertion hole 34. Therefore, the adjuster 8 rotates around the pivot shaft 82.

[0026] Figure 6 shows the state in which the position of the adjuster 8 of the flange lifting drive device 11 in Figure 3 has been changed to position the swing arm 5 at the working position P2. When the swing arm 5 swings from the retracted position P1 toward the working position P2, the adjuster 8 rises and the circumferential surface 81 of the adjuster 8 comes into contact with the receiving surface 86 of the stopper 10. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, by changing the position of the adjuster 8 around the pivot axis 82, the part of the circumferential surface 81 that comes into contact with the receiving surface 86 is changed. Hereinafter, the position of the adjuster 8 shown in Figures 3 and 4 will be referred to as the first position Pa, and the position shown in Figure 6 will be referred to as the second position Pb. Thus, the adjuster 8 can be changed to any one of several positions, including the first position Pa and the second position Pb.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4, when the adjuster 8 is in the first position Pa, the portion of the circumferential surface 81 that contacts the receiving surface 86 of the stopper 10 is the first portion 21. Also, as shown in Figure 6, when the adjuster 8 is in the second position Pb, the portion of the circumferential surface 81 that contacts the receiving surface 86 of the stopper 10 is the second portion 22. The second portion 22 is located further from the pivot axis 82 than the first portion 21. That is, the second portion 22 is located radially outward from the pivot axis 82 than the first portion 21. Therefore, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, in the circumferential direction centered on the pivot axis 53, the second portion 22 of the adjuster 8 in the second position Pb is located further from the pivot arm 5 than the first portion 21 of the adjuster 8 in the first position Pa. In this way, by changing the orientation of the adjuster 8, the position of the part of the circumferential surface 81 that contacts the receiving surface 86 relative to the swing arm 5 can be changed in the circumferential direction centered on the swing axis 53.

[0028] Furthermore, the oscillating arm 5 is positioned further from the stopper 10 and towards the retracted position P1 when the second portion 22, which is further from the pivot axis 82, is in contact with the receiving surface 86 than when the first portion 21, which is closer to the pivot axis 82, is in contact with the receiving surface 86. Also, the drive end 51 of the oscillating arm 5 is positioned lower when the second portion 22, which is further from the pivot axis 82, is in contact with the receiving surface 86 than when the first portion 21, which is closer to the pivot axis 82, is in contact with the receiving surface 86. In this way, the position of the oscillating arm 5 at the working position P2 can be changed by changing the position of the adjuster 8. This makes it possible to change the height position of the flanger 7 at the working position P2.

[0029] Figure 7 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the adjuster 8. As shown in Figure 7, the portion of the circumferential surface 81 of the adjuster 8 that connects the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 extends in an arc shape when viewed from the vehicle width direction. The radial dimension with respect to the pivot axis 82 gradually increases from the first portion 21 toward the second portion 22. Therefore, by bringing the portion between the first portion 21 and the second portion 22 into contact with the receiving surface 86, the height position of the flanger 7 at the working position P2 can be set to a height position between the height position of the flanger 7 when the first portion 21 and the receiving surface 86 are in contact and the height position of the flanger 7 when the second portion 22 and the receiving surface 86 are in contact. In addition, in the first posture Pa and the second posture Pb, the surface of the circumferential surface 81 that faces the track bed 103 extends above the bottom surface of the swing arm 5 or along the bottom surface of the swing arm 5. This prevents the adjuster 8 from interfering with the equipment 104.

[0030] In this embodiment, first to fourth intermediate positions Pc, Pd, Pe, and Pf are defined, arranged from the first position Pa to the second position Pb. When the adjuster 8 is in the first to fourth intermediate positions Pc to Pf, the first to fourth intermediate parts 23c to 23f, respectively, come into contact with the receiving surface 86 of the stopper 10. The height position of the flanger 7 from the track bed 103 increases in the order of the adjuster 8's position: first position Pa, first intermediate position Pc, second intermediate position Pd, third intermediate position Pe, fourth intermediate position Pf, and second position Pb. The height of the tip of the flanger 7 relative to the rail surface of the rail 102 is, for example, 0 mm for the first position Pa, 10 mm for the first intermediate position Pc, 20 mm for the second intermediate position Pd, 30 mm for the third intermediate position Pe, 40 mm for the fourth intermediate position Pf, and 50 mm for the second position Pb. The tip of the flanger 7 may be configured to be positioned below the rail surface of the rail 102.

[0031] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the adjuster 8 has six insertion holes arranged in the circumferential direction centered on the adjuster-side pivot shaft insertion hole 34. The six insertion holes are through which the locking portion 9 is inserted. Of the six insertion holes, the insertion hole located at one end on the side where the first portion 21 is located in the circumferential direction centered on the pivot shaft 82 is the adjuster-side first insertion hole 31, and the insertion hole located at the other end on the side where the second portion 22 is located is the adjuster-side second insertion hole 32. The adjuster-side first insertion hole 31 is formed in a position that overlaps with the arm-side insertion hole 54 in the direction in which the pivot shaft 82 extends in the first posture Pa. The adjuster-side second insertion hole 32 is formed in a position that overlaps with the arm-side insertion hole 54 in the direction in which the pivot shaft 82 extends in the second posture Pb. Furthermore, of the six insertion holes, the four adjuster-side intermediate insertion holes 33c to 33f, excluding the adjuster-side first insertion hole 31 and the adjuster-side second insertion hole 32, are formed in a position that overlaps with the arm-side insertion hole 54 and the direction in which the pivot shaft 82 extends when the arm assumes the corresponding position among the first to fourth intermediate positions Pc to Pf.

[0032] The locking part 9 is a locking device that locks the adjuster 8 to the swing arm 5 in one of six positions: the first position Pa, the second position Pb, and the first to fourth intermediate positions Pc to Pf. The locking part 9 is a fixing pin that is inserted through the arm-side insertion hole 54, the adjuster-side first insertion hole 31, the adjuster-side second insertion hole 32, and the adjuster-side intermediate insertion holes 33c to 33f. By positioning the adjuster 8 in the first position Pa and inserting the locking part 9 through the adjuster-side first insertion hole 31 and the arm-side insertion hole 54, the adjuster 8 can be fixed in the first position Pa. Similarly, by positioning the adjuster 8 in the second position Pb and inserting the locking part 9 through the adjuster-side second insertion hole 32 and the arm-side insertion hole 54, the adjuster 8 can be fixed in the second position Pb. Furthermore, by positioning the adjuster 8 in one of the first to fourth intermediate positions Pc to Pf, and inserting the locking portion 9 into the insertion hole located in the arm-side insertion hole 54 and the adjuster-side intermediate insertion holes 33c to 33f that overlap with the arm-side insertion hole 54, the adjuster 8 can be fixed in one of the first to fourth intermediate positions Pc to Pf. The locking portion 9 may have a screw groove at its tip for screwing with a nut to prevent it from falling off.

[0033] When snow removal work is performed, the piston rod 62 of the actuator 6 is retracted, raising the drive end 51 of the swing arm 5, and the swing arm 5 is positioned at the working position P2 where the circumferential surface 81 of the adjuster 8 and the receiving surface 86 of the stopper 10 are in contact. When the snow removal vehicle 100 is moved forward with the swing arm 5 in the working position P2, the snow accumulated on the track bed 103 between the tracks is scooped up by the flanger 7 and removed. At this time, the reaction force acting on the flanger 7 becomes a moment load on the swing arm 5 moving from the retracted position P1 to the working position P2, and this moment load is supported by the stopper 10. Therefore, bending load can be prevented from acting on the piston rod 62, and failure of the actuator 6 can be prevented.

[0034] Furthermore, the height position of the flanger 7 from the track bed 103 during snow removal can be easily changed by rotating the adjuster 8. When positioning the flanger 7 at the lower limit height during snow removal, the operator sets the adjuster 8 to the first position Pa and inserts the locking part 9 into the first insertion hole 31 on the adjuster side and the insertion hole 54 on the arm side. The operator then drives the actuator 6 and swings the swing arm 5 toward the working position P2. This causes the first part 21 and the receiving surface 86 to come into contact, restricting the swing of the swing arm 5. The flanger 7 is then positioned at the lower limit height. When positioning the flanger 7 at the upper limit height during snow removal, the operator sets the adjuster 8 to the second position Pb and inserts the locking part 9 into the second insertion hole 32 on the adjuster side and the insertion hole 54 on the arm side. The operator then drives the actuator 6, causing the swinging arm 5 to swing toward the working position P2. This causes the second part 22 to come into contact with the receiving surface 86, restricting the swinging of the swinging arm 5. The flanger 7 then moves to its upper height position.

[0035] Furthermore, in the flanger lifting drive device 11, in order to increase the adjustment range of the height position of the flanger 7 from the track bed 103, the adjuster 8 is made larger and the second part 22 is moved further away from the pivot shaft 82. The adjuster 8 is positioned to protrude from the swing arm 5 toward the open space in which the swing arm 5 swings, so the adjuster 8 does not interfere with other equipment. Therefore, the adjuster 8 can be easily made larger, and the adjustment range of the height position of the flanger 7 from the track bed 103 can be easily increased. Also, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the space between the swing arm 5 located at the working position P2 and the bulkhead 16 is narrow, and if a height adjustment mechanism is provided on the stopper 10 or the bulkhead 16, the adjustment mechanism must be designed to be small. As a result, the height adjustment range becomes small, or the mechanism becomes cumbersome, requiring the stopper to be replaced. However, in the flanger lifting drive device 11, the adjuster 8, which is a height adjustment mechanism, is provided on the swing arm 5, thus reducing space constraints and allowing for a wider range of height adjustment for the flanger 7. Furthermore, since the stopper 10 of the flanger lifting drive device 11 is fixed to the partition wall 16, the rotary snow removal device 3 can be made more compact.

[0036] Furthermore, the circumferential surface 81 of the adjuster 8 and the receiving surface 86 of the stopper 10 extend parallel to each other, and at the working position P2, the adjuster 8 and the stopper 10 make line contact. Therefore, the contact area between the adjuster 8 and the stopper 10 can be increased. This prevents deformation of the adjuster 8 and the stopper 10.

[0037] When the snow removal vehicle 100 passes over the location where the equipment 104 is installed, the swing arm 5 is positioned at the working position P2. This allows the flanger 7 and the swing arm 5 to retract to a position within the vehicle's clearance, preventing the flanger 7 from interfering with the equipment 104.

[0038] (Embodiment 2) Figure 8 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the flange lifting drive device 211 of a snow removal vehicle according to Embodiment 2. In Embodiment 1 described above, the adjuster 8 fixes its position by inserting the locking portion 9 into the insertion hole of the adjuster 8 and the swing arm 5.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the adjuster 208 of the flange lifting drive device 211 has an adjuster-side insertion hole 231 that extends in the circumferential direction centered on the pivot axis 82. The adjuster-side insertion hole 231 is an elongated hole that overlaps with the arm-side insertion hole 54 in the direction in which the pivot axis 82 extends in the first posture Pa and the second posture Pb. Furthermore, the flange lifting drive device 211 has a locking part 209 instead of the locking part 9, which is a fixing pin in the first embodiment described above. The locking part 209 is a fastener that fastens the swing arm 5 and the adjuster 8. The locking part 209 is, for example, a bolt and a nut.

[0040] The adjuster 8 is pressed and fixed between the locking portion 209 and the swing arm 5 by tightening the locking portion 209. The adjuster 208 can also swing continuously in the circumferential direction around the pivot axis 82 between a position where one end of the adjuster-side insertion hole 231 contacts the locking portion 209 and a position where the other end of the adjuster-side insertion hole 231 contacts the locking portion 209. Therefore, the posture of the adjuster 208 can be finely adjusted between the first posture Pa and the second posture Pb.

[0041] (Enumeration of embodiments) (Form 1) A snow removal device that is attached to a rail vehicle, A support structure supported by the aforementioned track vehicle, A swing arm is supported by the support and has a drive end and a driven end, and swings around a swing axis extending in the vehicle width direction located between the drive end and the driven end, between a retracted position in which the drive end is lowered and the driven end is raised and a working position in which the drive end is raised and the driven end is lowered. An actuator that moves the aforementioned drive end up and down, A flange attached to the driven end, An adjuster supported by the oscillating arm at a position closer to the drive end than the oscillating shaft, The device comprises a stopper supported by the support, positioned relative to the adjuster in the direction from the retracted position toward the working position within the circumferential direction about the pivot axis, and having a receiving surface that contacts the adjuster, The snow removal device is characterized in that the adjuster can change the position of the part that contacts the receiving surface with respect to the swing arm in the circumferential direction around the swing axis.

[0042] This configuration allows for a wider range of adjustment in the height position of the flange during snow removal.

[0043] (Form 2) A snow removal device that is attached to a rail vehicle, A support structure supported by the aforementioned track vehicle, A swing arm is supported by the aforementioned support and has a drive end and a driven end, and swings around a swing axis that extends in the vehicle width direction and is located between the drive end and the driven end, An actuator that moves the aforementioned drive end up and down, A flange attached to the driven end, An adjuster supported by the oscillating arm at a position closer to the drive end than the oscillating shaft, The stopper is supported by the support and located above the swing arm, and has a receiving surface that contacts the adjuster, Snow removal device, wherein the adjuster has a first portion and a second portion that contact the receiving surface, and the drive end of the swing arm when the second portion is in contact with the receiving surface is located lower than the drive end of the swing arm when the first portion is in contact with the receiving surface.

[0044] This configuration allows for a wider range of adjustment in the height position of the flange during snow removal.

[0045] (Form 3) The adjuster rotates around the pivot axis, The adjuster is provided with a locking part that locks it to the swing arm in one of a plurality of positions, including a first position and a second position. The snow removal device according to Embodiment 2, wherein the adjuster has a first portion that contacts the receiving surface in the first position, and a second portion that contacts the receiving surface in the second position, and the second portion is located radially outward from the first portion with respect to the pivot axis.

[0046] With this configuration, the height of the flange during snow removal can be adjusted by rotating the adjuster.

[0047] (Form 4) The adjuster is a plate having a circumferential surface that extends parallel to the receiving surface, The snow removal device according to Embodiment 3, wherein the first and second parts are parts located on the circumferential surface of the adjuster.

[0048] This configuration allows for a larger contact area between the adjuster and the stopper. This prevents deformation of the adjuster.

[0049] (Form 5) The swinging arm has an arm-side insertion hole, The adjuster has a first through-hole on the adjuster side that overlaps with the arm-side through-hole in the direction in which the pivot shaft extends in the first position, and a second through-hole on the adjuster side that overlaps with the arm-side through-hole in the direction in which the pivot shaft extends in the second position. The snow removal device according to Embodiment 3, wherein the locking portion is a fixing pin inserted through the arm-side insertion hole, the adjuster-side first insertion hole, and the adjuster-side second insertion hole.

[0050] This configuration allows for easy adjustment of the flanger's height.

[0051] (Form 6) The swinging arm has an arm-side insertion hole, The adjuster has an elongated hole extending in the circumferential direction centered on the pivot axis, and in the first and second positions, it has an adjuster-side insertion hole that overlaps with the arm-side insertion hole in the direction in which the pivot axis extends. The snow removal device according to Embodiment 3, wherein the locking portion is a fastener that fastens the swing arm and the adjuster.

[0052] This configuration allows for easy adjustment of the flanger's height.

[0053] (Form 7) The rotary snow removal device is supported by the aforementioned support and has an auger for collecting snow, The flanger is located between the auger and the track, and is part of the snow removal device according to any one of embodiments 1 to 6.

[0054] This configuration allows for a wider range of adjustment for the height of the flange during snow removal in a rotary snow removal system.

[0055] (Form 8) Supported by the aforementioned support, and having a partition wall located between the auger and the track vehicle, The snow removal device according to embodiment 7, wherein the stopper is fixed to the partition wall.

[0056] This configuration allows for a compact snow removal system.

[0057] From the above description, many improvements and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above description should be interpreted as illustrative only and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details of its structure and / or function can be substantially modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] P1 Evacuation position P2 working position Pa 1st posture Pb 2nd posture 1. Rail vehicles 3. Rotary snow removal equipment 4 Support 5. Swivel Arm 6 Actuators 7 Franja 8 adjusters 10 Stoppers 21. Adjuster, part 1 22 Adjuster, part 2 51 Drive end of the swinging arm 52 Driven end of the swinging arm 53. Pivot axis of the oscillating arm 100 snow removal vehicles

Claims

1. A snow removal device that is attached to a rail vehicle, A support structure supported by the aforementioned track vehicle, A swing arm is supported by the support and has a drive end and a driven end, and swings around a swing axis extending in the vehicle width direction located between the drive end and the driven end, between a retracted position in which the drive end is lowered and the driven end is raised and a working position in which the drive end is raised and the driven end is lowered. An actuator that moves the aforementioned drive end up and down, A flange attached to the driven end, An adjuster supported by the oscillating arm at a position closer to the drive end than the oscillating shaft, The device comprises a stopper supported by the support, positioned relative to the adjuster in the direction from the retracted position toward the working position within the circumferential direction about the pivot axis, and having a receiving surface that contacts the adjuster, The snow removal device is characterized in that the adjuster can change the position of the part that contacts the receiving surface with respect to the swing arm in the circumferential direction around the swing axis.

2. A snow removal device that is attached to a rail vehicle, A support structure supported by the aforementioned track vehicle, A swing arm is supported by the aforementioned support and has a drive end and a driven end, and swings around a swing axis that extends in the vehicle width direction and is located between the drive end and the driven end, An actuator that moves the aforementioned drive end up and down, A flange attached to the driven end, An adjuster supported by the oscillating arm at a position closer to the drive end than the oscillating shaft, The stopper is supported by the support and located above the swing arm, and has a receiving surface that contacts the adjuster, Snow removal device, wherein the adjuster has a first portion and a second portion that contact the receiving surface, and the drive end of the swing arm when the second portion is in contact with the receiving surface is located lower than the drive end of the swing arm when the first portion is in contact with the receiving surface.

3. The adjuster rotates around the pivot axis, The adjuster is provided with a locking part that locks it to the swing arm in one of a plurality of positions, including a first position and a second position. The snow removal device according to claim 2, wherein the adjuster has a first portion that contacts the receiving surface in the first position, and a second portion that contacts the receiving surface in the second position, and the second portion is located radially outward from the first portion with respect to the pivot axis.

4. The adjuster is a plate having a circumferential surface that extends parallel to the receiving surface, The snow removal device according to claim 3, wherein the first part and the second part are parts located on the circumferential surface of the adjuster.

5. The swinging arm has an arm-side insertion hole, The adjuster has a first through-hole on the adjuster side that overlaps with the arm-side through-hole in the direction in which the pivot shaft extends in the first position, and a second through-hole on the adjuster side that overlaps with the arm-side through-hole in the direction in which the pivot shaft extends in the second position. The snow removal device according to claim 3, wherein the locking portion is a fixing pin inserted through the arm-side insertion hole, the adjuster-side first insertion hole, and the adjuster-side second insertion hole.

6. The swinging arm has an arm-side insertion hole, The adjuster has an elongated hole extending in the circumferential direction centered on the pivot axis, and in the first and second positions, it has an adjuster-side insertion hole that overlaps with the arm-side insertion hole in the direction in which the pivot axis extends. The snow removal device according to claim 3, wherein the locking portion is a fastener that fastens the swing arm and the adjuster.

7. The rotary snow removal device is supported by the aforementioned support and has an auger for collecting snow, The snow removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the flanger is located between the auger and the track.

8. Supported by the aforementioned support, and having a partition wall located between the auger and the track vehicle, The snow removal device according to claim 7, wherein the stopper is fixed to the partition wall.

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